Felt sheeting



Jan. 15, 195? L. D. BRAGG, JR

FELT SHEETING Filed Nov. 15, 1952 2,777,787 FELT SHEETING Lawrence D. Bragg, Jr., Andover, Mass., assig'nor, by mesne assignments, to The General Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 15, 1952, Serial No. 320,667 2 Claims. (Cl. 154-48) This invention relates to felted material, and more particularly to felt sheeting.

Objects of this invention are to provide felt sheeting felt sheeting provided by this invention exhibits substantial tensile strength, easy stretchability, and substantially uniform stretch in all directions.

Light weight felt sheeting of this invention, weighing imparts resistance to directional tear of the structure and resistance to the tearing of stitches made therethrough; and by providing a cushioning action to such stitches, increases the strength thereof.

The felt sheeting of this invention comprises felted fibers of nylon and wool. The nylon fibers extend in all directions in the plane of the sheeting and impart to the felt sheeting substantial tensile strength and easy stretchability in all directions. The sheeting contains a substantial proportion of nylon fibers, desirably, for example, in the neighborhood of to by Weight, based on the fiber content. The felted fibers are preferably of substantial length. Thus, the nylon fibers may exhibit on the average a length in the neighborhood of 1 to 3 inches.

In order to enhance the strength of the felt sheeting while yet permitting easy extensibility thereof in all directions, the nylon fibers may be adhesively bonded together at their intersections. This may be accomplished by disseminating butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymer, a synthetic rubber-like material, throughout the sheet.

In a preferred form of the invention, the felt sheeting comprises a plurality of layers containing nylon and Wool In each layer the fibers are oriented in one direction in the plane of the layer. The layers are superimposed one upon the other with the fiber orientations of the layers in varying degrees of angular relationship, and the layers are compacted to form a web which exhibits substantially uniform stretch in all directions. thin, flexible sheeting having a dry weight in the neighbortil] In the drawings illustrating the invention in diagrammatic fashion:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the felt sheeting;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one layer of the felt sheeting; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, partly broken away, showing the multilayer felt sheeting and the arrangement of the layers therein.

It will be understood, of course, that the layers 4 may contain fibers of other materials such as cotton, rayon and the like. The fibers in the layers 4 may be suitably oriented by steps known in the felting industry, such as blendin picking, carding and mechanical combing.

The felt sheeting 2 is shown as comprising eight layers 4 superimposed one upon another with the fiber orientations of the layers in angular relationship in the neighborhood of, and not more than, about The fibers of the top and bottom layers 4 are indicated as being oriented in the same direction. The latter feature is of particular advantage when the felt 2 is in the form of continuous rolls or sheets, in which case the fiber orientation will be in the linear direction of the roll. The superimposing of layers 4 one upon another conveniently may be accomplished by crossing fibe s from finishing cards diagonally on a batt-forming apron.

In preparation of the web or sheet 2, the layers 4 are compacted, and conventionally the felted sheet may be scoured. The strength of the felted sheet 2 may be enhanced, while still permitting easy extensibility of the butadiene-acrylonitrile, a synthetic rubber-like material. Thereby the binder of butadiene-acrylonitrile is disseminated throughout the sheet. The bonding adhesive is illustrated at 10 in Fig. 2.

For backing purposes, the felt sheeting 2 desirably has a dry weight in the neighborhood of 3 to 6 ounces per square yard.

The number of layers in the felt sheeting may, in appropriate circumstances, be greater than 3, and the angular relationship between the superimposed layers may be substantially less than 60.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made in the disclosures herein While still coming Within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Felt sheeting exhibiting a dry Weight in the neighborhood of 3 to 6 ounces per square yard and composed primarily of nylon and wool fibers, said nylon fibers constituting about 30 to about 35 percent by weight of the fiber content of the sheeting, said sheeting comprising at least eight layers each containing nylon and Wool fibers primarily oriented in one direction in the plane of the with the fiber orientations of adjacent layers in angular relationship of not more than about 60, the fibers of the top and bottom layers being oriented in the same direction, said nylon fibers being bonded together at their intersections by butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymer, said layers being compacted to form a Web exhibiting substantially uniform stretch and strength in all directions.

2. Feit'sheeting exhibiting a dry weight in the'neighborhood of 3 to 6 ounces per square yard and composed "primarily of nylon and Wool fibers, said nylon fibers eonstituting about 30 to about 35 pe'rfit b iv'iigiit'bfi the fiber content of the sheeting, said sheeting comprising at least one layer containing nylon and W001 fibers primarily oriented in "one direction in the p'l'aneof the Ia'yer, said nylon fibers being bonded t ogether at their -iiiterseoitioi'is by butadiene-acryloiiit rile copolymer.

Referenaes'e cea'in'iheine 3f t hisTpatnt UNifib STATES PATENTS 

1. FELT SHEETING EXHIBITING A DRY WEIGHT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 3 TO 6 OUNCES PER SQUARE YARD AND COMPOSED PRIMARILY OF NYLON AND WOOL FIBERS, SAID NYLON FIBERS CONSTITUTING ABOUT 30 TO ABOUT 35 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF THE FIBER CONTENT OF THE SHEETING, SAID SHEETING COMPRISING AT LEAST EIGHT LAYERS EACH CONTAINING NYLONG AND WOOL FIBERS PRIMARILY ORIENTED IN ONE DIRECTION IN THE PLANE OF THE LAYER, SAID LAYERS BEING SUPERIMPOSED ONE UPON ANOTHER WITH THE FIBER ORIENTATIONS OF ADJACENT LAYERS IN ANGULAR RELATIONSHIP OF NOT MORE THAN ABOUT 60*, THE FIBERS OF THE TOP AND BOTTOM LAYERS BEING ORIENTED IN THE SAME DIRECTION, SAID NYLON FIBERS BEING BONDED TOGETHER AT THEIR INTERSECTIONS BY BUTADIENE-ACRYLONITRILE COPOLYMER, SAID LAYERS BEING COMPACTED TO FORM A WEB EXHIBITING SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM STRETCH AND STRENGTH IN ALL DIRECTIONS. 